Improvement in propellers for cars



G. W. EAR L.

`Prupeliers for Cars.

Parentedoct. 28,1873

TJV E S' SE S UNTTED STATES PATENTA OFFICE.

GEORGE WV. EAItL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLERS FOR CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144.076, dated October S, 1873; application filed September l, 1573.

To all whom may it concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. EARL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Propulsion of Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my invention, and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanyin g drawings denote the same parts.

This invention has for its object to provide fonpnblic use an improved method of propeling street-cars and other vehicles vwhich are adapted to run on an ordinary track with parallel rails; and to this end it consists, mainly, in a spiral wire of suitable thickness, laid between the track-rails parallel with the same, in such manner that its convolutions on the upper side shall engage with a toothed wheel revolving on a car or other vehicle running on the track, and afford sufficient resistance tothe teeth to propel the car. It also consists in the means employed for rotating the toothed wheel, and in other minor details, all of Which I will now proceed to describe.

In the drawings,A A represent the rails of an ordinary track, such as is commonly used for streetrailroads. B represents an eX- tremely hemy spiral wire or spring located in a recess, O, between the rails A, and protected on the upper side by plates D D projecting over the spring B from each side of the recess, leaving a narrow open space in the center. E represents a car provided with ordinary wheelsl F, adapted to run on the rails A. At the center of the car E is a spur-wheel, G, located with its axis extending transversely of the car, and having its bearings in standards. The periphery of the wheel G is provided with spurs or pointed teeth y, which project through an opening in the bottom of the car Il and engage with convolutions of the spiral spring B, as shown in Fig. 2. As the wheel is rotated, the spring affords sufficient resistance to the teeth g to propel the car, there being sufficient space between the convolutions for the teeth to enter readily without bending. lf desired, the periphery of the wheel G on each side of the teeth g may bear on the plates D D, which project over the spring B.

The wheel G may be operated in various Ways, and in the accompanying drawings I have shown means for revolving it by handpower, in which double cranks, I I', are attached to each bearing of the wheel, said cranks being arranged at right angles with each other, as shown, and connected by cords or chains J to levers K K', the latter being pivoted to staples L in the bottom of the car. rIhe cords or chains J pass over pulleys M, located on a transverse shaft, N, which has its bearings in vertical standards O rising from the sides of the car. The arrangement of cranks I I and levers K K is the same on each side of the wheel G, excepting that the cranks project in diiferent directions, so that when an oscillatory motion is given to all the levers, two of the cranks (one on each side) will `be always in position to receive the direct draft of their chains J, and rotate the wheel G. Each pair of levers K K is operated by one man, and sufficient power is thus obtained to propel a vehicle or car of considerable size. This arrangement may be attached directly to a passenger-car or may be applied to a separate truck, as shown, and used to draw other rlhe spiral spring B is self-clearing in consequence of its yielding nature. Hence, it is not liable to become clogged by foreign matter settling among its convolutions, thus obviating the objection to cogged central rails, which are usually adopted in this connection. The wholearrangement is adapted particularly to elevated street-railways,it being noise less and easily operated. y

In starting the car an auxiliary lever, R, may be employed, the same being pivoted between lugs S in the platform of the car, at its rear end, and working through an opening in the bottom. Its longer end is grasped bythe conductor or other attendant, and the shorter end thrust down and engaged with the spring B, and when not in use laid on the bottom of the car, as shown. rIhe leverRis slotted, its pivot passing through the slots. The shaft N is protected by a covering, N', extending across the car.

I claim as my inventionl spiral spring between the rails of a railroadY l. The combination of a spiral spring, lotrack, substantially as and for the purpose set cated between the rails of a track, with a roforth. tary spur or toothed Wheel on a cal" or other GEORGE W. EARL. vehicle, substantially as described.

2. The spur-Wheel G, having the cranks I I', Witnesses: in combination With levers K K', cords or Y NATHAN K. ELLSWORTH,

4chains, J, pulleys, M, in connection, and a MELVILLE CHURCH. 

